Boston’s Best Outdoor Dining – 52 Top Patios, Decks & More
From lush hidden gardens in the South End to raucous roof decks in Harvard Square, here are the sexiest, liveliest, prettiest, chillest places to dine al fresco this season.
Photo Provided
Brewer’s Fork
This beer garden offers a sense of place: You can see the Bunker Hill Monument peeking above the landscaped flora and string lights. Chef John Paine’s wood-fired pizzas and small plates (like smoked and braised pork belly with ginger-lime slaw) pair perfectly with co-owner Michael Cooney’s selection of top-tier local and Belgian brews.
7 Moulton St., Charlestown, 617-337-5703, brewersfork.com.
Photo Provided
Bronwyn
Rustic, family-style tables clothed in blue-and-white gingham give this biergarten a decidedly Bavarian feel. It’s the perfect location to take in chef Tim Wiechmann’s bretzel with horseradish mustard, wursts, schnitzel, and liters of lagers, hefeweizens, and radlers.
255 Washington St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-776-9900, bronwynrestaurant.com.
Photo provided
Buttermilk & Bourbon
Comfortable lounge seating, a six-seat bar, ample heat towers and shade umbrellas—plus dining tables, of course—make this Comm. Ave. patio an ideal spot for after-work drinks and dinner. Did we mention there are rotating flavors of house-made soft serve?
160 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, 617-266-1122, buttermilkbourbon.com.
Photo by Jennifer Trebino Provided
Cambridge Brewing Company
Tucked into One Kendall Square is a patio perfect for a mini beer festival any time chef David Drew breaks out the outdoor grill, which he does a few times a season. Beer garden parties aside, it’s a fine place for spent grain dough pizzas, dollar oysters, and a few rounds of house-made brews like Working Class Hero, a hoppy saison from brewmaster Will Meyers. There’s also a standing room, beers-only “swig pen.”
One Kendall Square, Bldg. 100, Cambridge, 617-494-1994, cambridgebrewingcompany.com.
026-Boston by rebuildingsince92 on Flickr / Creative Commons
Charlie’s Kitchen
A classic double patty, waffle fries, and a brew straight from the 18-draft outdoor bar are storied Harvard Square traditions. The rock-lined, subterranean beer garden is complete with tableside fireplaces, too.
10 Eliot St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, 617-492-9646, charlieskitchen.com.
Photo provided
Cinquecento
This outdoor lounge—complete with its own bar—is a perfect place to stop after checking out SoWa Open Market. Do some people-watching while exploring Cinquecento’s impressive amaro menu and chef de cuisine Justin Winters’s wide range of trattoria fare.
500 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston, 617-338-9500, cinquecentoboston.com.
Photo provided
City Tap House
Craft beers and fire pits are found in spades here. Come for weekend brunch, and stay for a couple rounds of cornhole. Cheers!
10 Boston Wharf Rd., Boston, 617-904-2748, boston.citytap.com.
Photo Provided
Committee
Maybe it’s the sea breeze, but this hotspot’s outdoor cocktail lounge feels a little more laid back than its lively dining room and huge indoor bar. It’s the only place you can sip certain patio-exclusive drinks, and it’s also a fine place to explore consulting wine director Lauren Friel’s extensive list of lesser-known Mediterranean varietals, as well as unique Greek spirits. Want to share some meze with your crew? The seating capacity is 85.
50 Northern Ave., Seaport, Boston, 617-737-5051, committeeboston.com.
Photos Provided
Commonwealth
Chef Nookie Postal and his team nearly got ahold of a 1960 D100 Dodge pickup truck, which has become, in season, a fully operational bar. With Broad Canal views, it’s a perfect place to enjoy menu items like grilled chicken wings with strawberry sambal, house-made coffee cookies and cream ice cream, and Ducky’s Fried Chicken on Sunday afternoons.
11 Broad Canal Way, Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-945-7030, commonwealthcambridge.com.
